Category Archives: English 11

Questions arose all the time around the topic of human’s existence. What is the meaning of life? What is the point? Where does it start? Are there end goals? So many unanswered questions yet books, movies and poems have been created to try and understand the meaning of this question. The two pieces of evidence that will be the main focus of the point trying to made is the film Dead Poets Society created by Peter Weir and the short story “Walter Mitty” written by James Thurber. Dead Poets Society is centered on teenagers who go to an all boys school with very strict rules. A teacher by the name Mr. Keating begins at the school as the main bunch English teacher. He envelopes the boys into a new view on life and poetry. “Walter Mitty” is focused on an old man who happens to be also named Walter Mitty. The man has many eccentric dreams. Usually, they could be only found in a drama or an action film but Mitty puts himself in each scene. His wife doesn’t agree with his imagination. In this case Dead Poets Society and the “Secret Life of Walter Mitty” both explore and tell as story of what the meaning of life is. At the same time the people in these stories want more in life. They want a meaning. However, Dead Poets Society follows young men who learn how to make their dreams a possibility. On the other hand, Walter Mitty follows an older who has gone through life already and is rather stuck with his choices. He can only dream of something else. Ultimately, both tales tell a story about one discovering what they really want in life and finding ways to get that. Or even take glimpse on the thing they want.

Similarly, Dead Poets Society and “Walter Mitty” both focus on dreams. One story follows it more closely and literally (Walter Mitty). While Dead Poets Society is more centered on achieving the hidden dreams of some of the characters. The dreams that don’t exactly stand by the decisions their parents have made for the boy’s futures. Mr. Keating who is a strong and intellectual person decides to change how English would be taught in this year’s class. He teaches the boys to view life and poetry in a different light. With each passing minute of the movie these characters learn more about themselves and how they should let their passions shine. Neil from the movie took this to heart and started up the dead poet’s society once again and he also joined a play. He had chosen his passion of the arts. Todd is another perfect example. His shy personality was because of being in his brother’s big successful shadow for so many years. Mr. Keating opened him up into being his own person with his own voice. “Walter Mitty” follows dreams as well. He just has more of a dramatic action movie like imagination He is an older man who has a wife and is most likely retired. Mitty has gone through life. However, he isn’t very pleased with his choices. It can be inferred that, that is why Mitty has so many dreams of other professions or other lifestyles in general. Both sources give an idea of what the meaning life entails. Find what the joy in life and don’t take anything for granted. Choose a path that makes things exciting “Carpe diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary” (Weir) or you might end up dreaming of something implausible to occur at an age where its to late to change a thing.

There is difference that occur between these two stories. In Dead Poets Society the film is centered around mostly a cast of young adults. Besides Mr. Keating, other teachers and parents; it is largely set with these young men. It is also in movie form. That doesn’t mean the older generation will not focus on this film but it is to believe that it is meant for a rather younger audience. Not to young but the age group that is focused in this film is the age group it is shooting for. “Walter Mitty” on the other hand; is about an old man. And either it was told in that English class that had to be taken or older people read this short story. Each story reached out to a different audience. Dead Poets Society taught the younger audience to not make life all about school and getting somewhere else so fast. It taught the main character Todd those lessons of standing up for what he wants, while “Walter Mitty” sort of reached out to the older audience in a sympathetic way of understanding. Maybe even to teach the younger ones in the family to not make the same mistakes.

In conclusion Dead Poets Society and the “Secret Life of Walter Mitty” both explore and tell as story of what the meaning of life is. At the same time the people in these stories want more in life. They want a meaning. Thus, both tales tell a story about one discovering what they really want in life and finding ways to get that. Considering what has been written and compiled together in this piece; it is found that the meaning of life is what one chooses it to be. A path made by choices. Choosing one that makes happiness and joy filling most day. Finding something that is interesting and captivating. Always learning new skills and adapting to find that path. Reaching for that dream and grabbing onto it. The meaning of life has been with everyone the whole time. It just had to be recognized.

Mean girls is one of the best teen movies out there. It is funny, has great one liners and very unrealistic. It is still amazing to vegetate in front of the tv and watch it after a long day of boring school. (No offense future teacher who reads this). Lord of the flies on the other hand is a book you kinda had to read in English 11. You either hated it or liked it. I actually liked it. Kept me on my toes. These two pieces I am comparing have some similar stereotypes following the character. So, lets see what I believe is the best match in persona.

Ralph = Miss Norbury
Ralph is basically the leading role in lord of the flies. He’s the protagonist. Miss Norbury in mean girls is very much not the protagonist. That’s maybe besides the gender the only thing that could be different about these two. Miss Norbury is Cady heron’s math teacher and tries her best to lead Cady down a better path. She put up with Cady for so long and wasn’t upset with her even when she spread rumors about the beloved teacher. Miss Norbury even let her join the mathletes at the end of the year. Ralph throughout the story is trying to make jack better and help along. Even though jack left the group Ralph still attended the party her through. I find these two-two-quite similar.

Jack = Cady Heron
I believe hands down Jack is Cady. Cady becomes the big bad during the movie after bringing down Regina and her minions. She got everything she wanted and it came handed to her. But in the beginning Jack was similar to Cady in being somewhat nice and somewhat listening to what Ralph had to say. Then when people started to follow Cady and she became more in power she lost the important views in life and only cared about one thing: popularity. Jack only cared about hunting. Similar much? I sure think so.

Piggy = Janis
Janis is literally one of my favorite characters in means girl. Well besides little miss dumb blondie ill get to in a sec. Piggy also I wont lie was one of my favorites. Yes, he was Hella annoying sometimes but you could say the same about Janis. Piggy also never did any grunt work. He was the brains so why should he have to? Right? Janis was similar in that way because while Cady went around destroying the plastics perfect status Janis was just the brains of the operation and she didn’t do anything. Also, her views were straight ahead the whole time and so was piggy’s. Only difference is Janis at least didn’t die. Still not over that. RIP Piggy.

Simon = Karen smith
Okay, yes, I’ll admit this is a weird one. But let me tell you it’ll make sense. Karen probably had no clue what is going on during the whole movie of mean girls. She probably had no clue there were sides and went where ever she found was the shiniest place. Simon didn’t pick sides. He kinda was just there. They are also both very nice and friendly.

Roger = Regina
Regina is literally evil and so is Roger. The only thing that gets Regina close to being an okay person was for her to join a sport which she is probably a total control freak with anyways. Roger remains the same terrible person throughout the story and basically so does Regina. They also both have R names so I think that’s a sign. Just saying.

I should have listened to my mom. Maybe then my most embarrassing story would be still when I closed my finger in the car door and that’s how I broke my first bone. But, no this is by far the worst thing that has ever happened to me. For once I am not over dramatizing.

This lovely incident occurred on a warm summer evening near the end of July in 2016. It had been a good day. I went on a hike with my family and my growing old chocolate Labrador. Took a swim in the lake after the wonderful but exhausting trudge. Got a little in trouble for complaining mid way through. After the hike I succeeded in getting ice cream from the gelato place back in town. Then dropping it all over my flip flops which my mom still can’t remove the wet shadowed spot on the left shoe. Wasps loved my feet after that. Stupid bugs.

My dad generously bought me a Grande Vanilla Bean Frappuccino after the clumsy moment I had. I was obsessed with this drink. The sweet scent and the delightful creamy vanilla ice cream taste. It was magic to my senses. My mom however ruined this joyful moment.

“Grace, maybe you should take a lactaid pill?” She proposed, holding the little square paper package the chalky pill was in.

I laughed. Out loud. My little sister and mom were both lactose intolerant. They have been for quite awhile now. It was so much fun being able to eat ice cream and any other dairy products in front of my sister. Little victories matter.

Then it was soccer practice. My dad coaches my sister’s soccer team and at the time I was one of the assistant coaches. Just until the summer was over. I loved those girls. I felt like an older sister to all of them. They had something I wasn’t very used to with my soccer team. They actually treated each like a team.
We were on a grass oval with a gravel track surrounding. Trees lined the left side of the field. A couple paths followed in the forest. A middle school was on the far side of the field. The sun was shining and the birds were chirping. It was a perfect summer day.

Not. The feeling of an tiny earthquake rumbled somewhere deep in my stomach. My run slowed in leading the girls around the field. The dreadful Scottish mile we were trying to achieve. I’ve never been the fastest runner so me slowing down made a little more sense. I, however, didn’t wanna look anything less then perfect as an assistant coach so I pushed through the rumbling. Finally, we reached the end of the jog. I gasped for air.

My palms were slightly clammy and my head was swimming with slight pains. I mean yeah, I got fatigued when running but this was a new low. I dropped the water bottle and jogged into the huddle formed around the 3 coaches.
We were told to make two groups. The defenders on the sides of the net and the forwards and midfields on the half line. I was put in with the girls. Just to show them certain things. I played in the center of the field on my team so I naturally jogged to that spot. The drill was fun and I had a couple teaching moments. Hehe yay. I had almost forgotten about the pain that has now traveled farther down in my stomach. The sun had begun to fall down behind the trees and the mosquitos were coming up to feed. The trees were now making a shaded spot of the grass which made everything a lot cooler. Except not for me. This is where I knew there had to be something wrong. A noise echoed through me. My face twisted. I hoped to God no one had heard what I just witnessed. My stomach flip flopped again.

“Dad? Can I run to the washroom?” I asked quickly.

He nodded and sent me on my way. I jogged/walked over to the middle school. I think I got bitten about 8 times by those stupid blood suckers. I found the nearest entrance and pulled at the door. It was locked. I huffed and walked around the building and tried the next door. Locked. The next one. Nope. I went all the way around the darn building and every single door was locked. Frick.

I began to frantically look around for a spot to go. Anywhere could work at this moment in time. The forest! That should do. I noticed a path but totally ignored that idea because well what if someone saw me? This whole situation is awkward enough. My stomach churned. I ran into the forest. Then well it happened. I may be descriptive in other things during this story but for yours and my own sake I will leave that as it is. I sighed in relief and began to stand up. Just to be stung by those ungrateful jerks known as wasps. Oh yeah and I got stung just below my right hip. Tears began to fall as I squealed in pain. Nausea kicked in and another nasty thing occurred. Fear had arrived and made me run outta that forest so fast I stepped in a mud puddle just to top everything off.

Now limping, I walked back to my dad. Tears poured down my cheeks. Well at least my stomach stopped hurting. My dads face said it all when I arrived.

“What now Grace?” He asked with a sigh.

He got yelled at this later from my mom and he apologized so don’t worry. I am normally just over dramatic so I understood where he was coming from. He told me to sit down and phone my mother. I did as he said. She answered after the third ring. I don’t even think I spoke English into the phone. Just a lot of sobbing and mumbles. But it got my mom to come so that’s good.

She picked me up and I cried some more. Finally, after catching my breath I explained what I just went through. After finishing and expecting her to feel bad for me she did what I did earlier to her. She laughed. And continued laughing until we reached home. Tears of joy stung her eyes. Mine were completely gone now and a most pissed off expressing wore on my upset face.

“Mom. Are you done? Its not funny!” I said pleading her to stop.

“Okay but it is funny. This sounds like a Seinfeld episode.” She giggles again.

“Mom” I huffed crossing my arms.

“You should have taken that lactaid pill.” She gives me a knowing look.

Thus, began me being lactose intolerant. I should have listened to my mom.

Should sports teams be allowed to have first nations names as their logos or for mascots? I think not. Not even sure why this is being debated about today. Oh yeah that’s right, some people thought it would be a good idea to use different races as team names. Well isn’t that smart. Good job guys. Totally being equal here.

But its not so much the idea of making these teams have “history” as some coaches would say but rather the fact of how much they stereotype in the logos or mascots. Seriously its terrible. They have faces of the first nations from back when they were first found. These teams are still with those logos now in 2018. Why? Like come on guys, No one is dressing like Pocahontas anymore! Unless you’re a 6-year-old girl dressing up for Halloween. Still regretting that decision now. In ‘sorry for being a stereotype’ there were a bunch of things said about the way people see herself and the other first nations “You know. Long black hair, braids, feathers, beads.”. (Pyrillis) They aren’t educated in the how these people are just like everyone else. One thing that is a huge bother about racism is the fact that we are all human. The same species though we look different. Technically we haven’t invented clones yet so, no one actually looks alike. If that’s the logic then shouldn’t everyone be racists to everyone? Just saying. These coaches and officials however are being very stuck in their ways. In the case of the Edmonton Eskimos that name isn’t being changed. A poll was put out near the beginning of February to get the name changed. A lot of first nations are speaking up about how the name Eskimo’s sounds derogatory to their people. It was a name created by the settlers. It in other words it makes them sound like caveman. Like them as a whole they are stupid and uncapable of regular everyday things. But the first nations aren’t saying to demolish the whole idea of the name being a cultural reference. They just want a compromise. Make it nicer to their community. This was proposed a few years ago but the team said no to this. But just guessing this didn’t stop them because well now theirs a poll. In ‘Totem’ a very good symbol and metaphor is used throughout the short story. The totems are symbols for the first nations. The whole time the totems are making noises and the people are cutting them down. It’s a huge metaphor for what has happened in the past. The ignoring of these people’s words and feelings “maybe if we ignore it, it will stop singing”. (King)

Now its time for a change. They will be heard and they deserve to be heard. These team logos and names need to be changed.